UPA does not have will power to act against SIMI: Katiyar

Lucknow, Aug 15 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar Friday accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of not having the will power to act against the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) outfit. “Despite the fact that SIMI is carrying out terror activities across the country, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is not acting tough against it,” Katiyar told reporters at a press meet here.

The UPA government has instead been adopting a liberal attitude towards SIMI, he added.

Referring to a speech by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Independence Day, Katiyar said: “Nothing substantial can be achieved through speeches saying that terrorists should be acted against.”

For this, terrorists like Afzal Guru, sentenced to death for the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, should be hanged, he added.

In the wake of growing terror activities, Katiyar said an all-party meeting must be convened to tackle the issue.